Beastly Urges
by Lieutenant Caine
Summary: Horatio has a dark side he keeps chained with integrity, morals, and common decency. What would happen if those chains broke? How does Calleigh respond to the beastly side of the man she's been in love with for years? Dark, disturbing. Strong M rating
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: This story is not for everyone. If a glimpse into the dark, animalistic nature of one Horatio Caine would upset you, then I strongly advise you to read no farther. This story explores the seldom seen side of Horatio that on rare occasions rears its ugly head when his control slips for a fraction of a second. I've chosen to completely strip him of all his control for this story. Reader beware, this is not the Horatio Caine that we have all come to know and admire.**

**Beastly Urges**

Karl watched the redhead out of the corner of his eye as he continued to wipe down the bar, collecting half empty glasses and cocktail napkins along the way. The man had only said two words since his arrival more than three hours before. Karl had sized him up as he approached the farthest corner of the bar, hitched himself up onto the barstool, glared in his direction and gave his order.

"Whiskey. Straight."

The voice was not one that belonged to his usual type of patron; the rough and tumble gang of burly men who frequented his establishment on the weekends. This was the voice of a man who knew culture and the finer things of life, a voice that commanded respect. Karl shook his head slightly wondering what catastrophe had brought such a man to this type of watering hole.

The redhead, alone with his thoughts was completely unaware of the intense scrutiny of the bartender. He sat silently and nursed his glass of Jack Daniels through three refills. The alcohol burned down his throat and sent unaccustomed warmth crashing through his veins. At one point he dipped his head forward into his hands, and then almost snarled as he lifted it again to stare fixedly into the amber liquid in his glass. Had anyone been able to hear his thoughts they would have been startled by the fierce battle being waged inside the redhead's mind.

_Come on, Caine. You came here to unwind. No one knows you here. Get drunk. Relax. Let go of the almighty control for a bit. You need the rest. That's it, call for another drink._

The redhead's lips moved as he spoke to someone or something unseen, closing his eyes tightly as if to banish some unwanted thought or vision. His knuckles turned white as he gripped his glass, lifted it to his lips and drained it in a single gulp, setting it back down on the bar with a solid thud. The sound earned him the attention of Karl, and he was not pleased to see the man move quickly in his direction.

"Sir, pardon the intrusion into your privacy, but I've watched you all evening. You have something troubling you. Business is slow tonight, and I've got time to talk… if you'd like"

"Yeah, I'd like." The redhead muttered as he shoved his glass toward the bartender for another refill.

"If you don't mind my saying, Sir,"

"Name's Caine," the redhead interrupted rudely.

"…I think you've had quite enough to drink." Karl finished his sentence and left the redhead's empty glass sitting on the bar.

"No. I haven't had nearly enough, but I'll stop. I do have to drive myself home."

Blue eyes looked into the eyes of the bartender and saw only objective understanding, so the redhead began talking.

"I've worked with her for eight years now…"

_Ah…a woman_ thought Karl as he listened.

"Hell, I've wanted her for eight years. She's beautiful, smart as a whip, young…" his voice trailed off.

"Does she know how you feel about her?" Karl asked quietly, still drying glasses as he listened.

"No, and she can't know either, that's what makes it so damned hard to go to work every day and work alongside her, hear her voice, see that gorgeous body, and not be able to take what I want…" His voice was hoarse with feeling.

"Why not? Is she married?" Karl's question came gently.

"No."

"Then why can't you tell her how you feel? I mean age is no factor nowadays, if you're worried about what society would think of you for dating a younger woman."

Karl was startled when the redhead slammed his fist down on the bar shattering his glass and cutting his own hand in the process.

"I can't tell her because I'm her boss, damn it!" he snarled. He seemed not to notice the blood streaming from his cut hand.

After wiping up the spill and the shards of broken glass, Karl reached below the bar for the first aid kit he kept there before he responded to that statement.

"…and you would be breaking some kind of rule to get involved with her?" he spoke as he laid antiseptic ointment and a bandage on the bar in front of the redhead.

"Yes, damned department rules."

_I want Calleigh_ said the voice in the redhead's mind. _I want her tonight…want to feel her lips beneath mine, want to feel her body naked under me, want to hear her moans of pleasure when I drive into her, want to hear her…_

"Enough!" the redhead said out loud, prompting a puzzled look from Karl.

"Enough? Enough what?"

"Nothing," the redhead muttered darkly. He opened the tube of ointment, spread a glob of it on the cut in his hand and quickly tore open the bandage and then placed it carefully over the still bleeding injury.

_Are you a man, Horatio Caine?_ the voice taunted him. _Are you going to sit here on this barstool all night like a whipped puppy, or are you going to go take what you want. You know she wants you, too. She's given you too many signs to ignore. And besides, who's to know what you do on your off duty hours._

"Give me one more drink," the redhead said, and then added as an afterthought, "…please."

"Okay, but only one more."

Karl took a new glass from the shelf behind him, filled it and set it on the bar, peering closely at the redhead. There was a growing look of fixed determination on his rugged face.

"You look like you've made some kind of decision." Karl observed quietly.

"What? Oh, yeah, I have." _Take me to Calleigh_ the voice screamed in his head.

The redhead dug in his pocket and pulled out several bills and laid them on the bar with his tab. After downing the last of his drink, he thanked Karl and left.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Calleigh had just made herself comfortable on the couch and was sipping on a cup of chamomile tea when the doorbell rang. Frowning slightly at the interruption to her quiet evening, she glanced at the clock above the mantel…9:00. She sighed and got up and went to the front door, standing on tiptoe to peer through the peephole. _What on earth is Horatio Caine doing at my door at this time of night? _ she wondered to herself as she unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door.

"Horatio. Come in. Is everything okay?"

"No," came his terse answer.

The next thing Calleigh knew, she found herself roughly shoved against the wall with her hands pinned above her head. The lower half of her body was crushed by the pressure of his hips thrusting against hers, and she lifted startled eyes to look up into his face. What she saw glittering there in his normally clear blue eyes sent waves of shock racing through her veins. Lust, pure and simple stared out at her.

"Horatio? What's this about?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"I'm tired, Calleigh. I'm tired of pretending that I don't want you. Tired of acting as though the sight of you doesn't sent need burning through me. Tired of dreaming of your naked body pinned beneath me and your moans of pleasure as I make love to you. I'm tired of imagining the taste of your kisses."

Calleigh's gasp of surprise was smothered as his lips crashed down on hers in a hard kiss. This was no caress of tenderness. There was no gentleness in his touch. He plundered her mouth, taking possession of her as he forced open her lips and roughly stroked his tongue in deep, tasting her sweetness.

Never in her wildest dreams of Horatio had Calleigh imagined that he would come to her this way, and Calleigh had entertained many dreams of the redheaded Lieutenant, waking often with her body trembling in imagined pleasure as he had gently and sweetly made love to her. This was a Horatio she had never dreamed existed. Raw, rough, brutal, and totally freed from the moral constraints he normally wore so effortlessly. She should have been frightened by this behavior from him; evidence that he had totally lost control, but she wasn't. She found herself responding to the savage way he was touching her.

Horatio tore his mouth from hers and glared down at her before he once again attacked her with his mouth, biting and nipping along the tender flesh of her neck. His teeth left red marks as he devoured the taste of her skin, growling with need as he alternated between teething and sucking at the tiny little wounds he left.

"God I need you, Calleigh," he muttered hoarsely, oblivious to the fact that Calleigh was attempting to turn her head and find his lips again. He was too far possessed by the lust driving him to notice anything but his own need. Her taste, her scent, her tiny sounds of pain and pleasure had only served to further inflame his senses.

He loosened his hold on her wrists just long enough to hook one hand behind her head and jerk her up toward his face. The other hand went to the neck of her blouse and began unbuttoning it. He managed two buttons before the demons nipping at his mind became impatient. He uttered a low curse and simply tore the rest of the material open with one swift downward jerk of his hand.

"Horatio!" Calleigh gasped.

"Not another word, Calleigh," he snarled just before he bent his head and began placing rough kisses over the gentle swells of her breasts. Sharp pain mingled with pleasure bolted through her as he forced the lacy material of her bra away from her breast and took her nipple between his teeth and sucked hard.

"Oh, god yes, Horatio." she moaned.

"You like it hard, don't you Calleigh?" he sneered as he pulled back to look into her face. "You want to be bruised and marked, don't you?"

The openly taunting tone in his voice cleared Calleigh's brain for a moment and she closed her eyes to shut out the sight of his face so distorted by lust. They snapped open again at his next words.

"The couch or the bed, Calleigh. You decide."

"Horatio wait, …." she was trembling in his iron hold

"Okay, the bed then," he growled and before Calleigh had a chance to react, he had captured both her hands in one of his, ripped the handcuffs from his belt and snapped them tightly on her wrists, leaving her helpless. He yanked her back into his arms and laughed down into her face.

"I think I'll like seeing you squirm and plead, begging me to take you. And you know you will, Calleigh. I've seen you watching me too many times to believe that you don't want me. I know you do."

"Horatio, please…" she whimpered, half in fear and half in incredible arousal.

"See…" he taunted her. "You're already begging me for it, and we're not even to the bed yet."

Then taking hold of her tightly bound wrists he began dragging her down the hall toward the bedroom. When they reached the door, Horatio kicked it open and dragged her toward the bed. He shoved her backward onto the bed and followed her down, covering her body with his.

"God, Calleigh, I've wanted this for so long." His hands moved down to her pants, fumbling for the zipper and she squirmed at his brutal touch.

"Stop fighting, this, Calleigh, you know you want this to happen as much as I do."

She blinked at him with tears in her eyes. She did want it, and, truth be told, she was as turned on as he was, but the handcuffs were beginning to cut into the soft skin on her wrists. She could feel trickles of blood running down her arms.

"Horatio, please, the handcuffs hurt, you don't need them. I'm not fighting you." She tried to open her legs to him in a show of trust. He moved back up her body and covered her mouth in another searing kiss, partly to silence her, and partly to give himself time to unlock the cuffs. He unlocked them and jerked them from her wrists, sending them flying to the floor. He wasn't in the mood for her soft sweet voice at all. He wanted to hear her begging for him. After her hands were free she reached up to unbutton his shirt, but he quickly caught her arms, pinning them to the bed.

"You keep your hands to yourself until I tell you different, do you understand? Don't talk, just nod." His eyes glittered down at her in a predatory way that made her pulse race.

She nodded her head, causing the tear to roll down the side of her face. For one brief second the sight of her tears cleared his mind and he reached to tenderly wipe away the tear from her face. His roughness returned quickly however, and he ripped off his shirt, and then pulled Calleigh's pants down her legs, throwing them across the room. He slowly began unbuckling his belt, and then unzipped his pants, moving up on his knees to push them down his legs and toss them in the pile with Calleigh's clothes. Calleigh licked her lips and couldn't breathe for what felt like minutes. Horatio Caine in all his glory, in her house, in her bed. Her mind spun at the thought and she knew it would be sex like she'd only dreamed of in her darkest fantasies.

"Touch me, Calleigh," he ordered, "I want to feel your hands on me."

She reached up and put her hands on his chest, slowly moving them down his body.

"Not there," he snarled, moving her hands to where he wanted her touch. His head lolled back and he groaned. "Yes, that's it, good girl, Calleigh."

He couldn't take much more of her touch, so he pulled back and moved his face between her legs, inhaling her scent before roughly inserting a finger and then flicking his tongue against her, drawing a cry of pleasure from her throat.

"Mmm, you taste wonderful, you DO want this don't you?" He withdrew from her and moved back up her body, licking, sucking and biting all the way up. He positioned himself above her, holding his weight suspended on his elbows and glared down at her. "I'm going to take you now, Calleigh, you are MINE, do you understand?"

She nodded softly, and just before he plunged roughly into her, she whispered in his ear, "Yes, please take me Horatio."

The feel of him inside her was nothing like she'd ever felt. Her moans of pleasure seemed to encourage him, and he quickened his pace, going harder and deeper with each stroke. She tried to wrap her arms around him, but he pulled them back above her head, nuzzling, sucking and biting her as he did. When she wrapped her legs around his waist, he pushed them further up, allowing him to plunge deeper into her beautiful body.

"Oh, yes, Horatio, more…" She couldn't say another word as her climax quickly overtook her, Horatio's immediately following.

For long seconds they were both completely still, Calleigh struggling to breath under Horatio's weight that was pressing her into the mattress, and Horatio recovering from the total loss of control he'd suffered. Sanity filtered back into his mind and his conscience began screaming at him. _Do you realized what you've done, Horatio Caine!!!!???? You raped her! You raped the woman that you love!!!_

He pulled out of her hastily, forcing himself to really look at the damage he'd caused to her slender body. Her wrists were bruised and bleeding. There were bite marks and bruises from her neck to her thighs. Crushing guilt bore down on him and he choked back a sob. He arose from the bed and started collecting his clothing.

"Horatio, where are you going?" She couldn't believe he was going to make love to her and then just leave.

When he spoke his voice was broken, "Calleigh, I'm so…I'm so sorry. I can't believe I did that to you. Oh, God, I'm so sorry. I don't…I don't expect you to ever forgive me. I'll go turn myself in so you don't have to call the department." His face was streaked with tears as he tugged on his pants and hurriedly put his shirt on. Then he rose from the bed, and left the room. Moments later, Calleigh heard the front door slam and then the sound of the Hummer's engine as Horatio backed out of her drive and sped away.

She lay there on the bed in total disbelief.

"Now what the hell was THAT all about?" she said, talking to the empty room.

Then realization struck her like a lightning bolt. "He's going to turn himself in? Oh, my God. He thinks he raped me!" She got up from the bed and stumbled into the bathroom to take a shower and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. No wonder he thought he'd raped her. She was bleeding from a dozen tiny cuts and she couldn't count the number of bruises that covered her body. But it had been completely consensual. She never told him "NO". In fact she'd encouraged it. She stepped into the shower and let the warm water soothe her aching body. When she finished, she tried Horatio's cell phone. She had to stop him from doing something stupid. It went straight to his voice mail.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Horatio drove for what seemed like hours, his mind the scene of a fierce battle between the demons still lurking in his thoughts and the cool voice of reason. His hands clenched the steering wheel in a death grip. His eyes were all but blinded by tears, making it difficult for him to see. Still he drove, tormented by the relentless hounds of guilt.

You, the great Horatio Caine. CSI, bomb expert, Lieutenant…RAPIST. That sounds nice on a resume, doesn't it? You'll never wear the badge again, Caine. You blew it. Why don't you just end it? The causeway is near. The water isn't too cold this time of year. Just get it over with.

Then reason spoke softly through the torment of his soul.

You made a terrible mistake, Horatio. But don't compound it with another even worse. Go turn yourself in to someone you trust. There is a way out.

"Frank." The name slipped from Horatio's lips and he turned the Hummer around seemingly without conscious thought and headed toward his best friend's home.

Frank had just turned off the TV and was headed for his bedroom when he heard the doorbell ring.

"Now who the devil is that?" he wondered out loud, reaching for his gun before he cautiously approached the front door.

"Identify yourself!" he called out.

"Frank, it's me, Horatio."

Frank quickly unlocked the door and opened it. His eyes widened in shock when he saw his friend standing there in the glow of the porch light. The redhead's eyes were bloodshot and filled with tears. His face was contorted with grief or pain. Frank couldn't decide which. Whichever it was, Horatio looked terrible.

"My god, man! Come in. What's wrong, Horatio? What happened?" His first thought was that someone had died; Yelina or Ray Jr. or God forbid Kyle.

Frank draped an arm around Horatio's shoulders and led him to the living room where the usually rock solid Lieutenant collapsed onto the couch like a deflated balloon. He dropped his head into his hands and sobbed.

Now Frank was truly worried. In all the years he'd known Horatio Caine, he'd never seen him give way to this much emotion, not even when Marisol was murdered.

Words began to edge their way out between the heartbreaking sobs and Frank struggled to piece together what Horatio was trying to say.

"Went to a bar…not drunk…don't know why…went to see…Oh God, what have I done?"

"Okay, man, you gotta tell me what happened, clearly. Look at me, Horatio. Pull yourself together and tell me what happened." The gruff edge in Frank's voice seemed to jolt Horatio out of the abject despondency he was in and he raised his head to look at his friend.

"I…Frank, I did the most horrible thing…I…Oh, God…I …" he struggled with a fresh bout of tears.

"It's okay, Horatio, you can tell me. What did you do?"

"I…I raped Calleigh." The silence that descended on the room was deafening.

For a moment, Frank struggled to process what he'd just heard from his closest friend. Then his reason set in and he firmly dismissed the possibility of truth in Horatio's statement. For Horatio Caine to do something that heinous was impossible.

"Whew! Ahh…Why don't we get a cup of coffee and you can start at the beginning." Frank said, stalling for time. "You stay right there and I'll be right back."

Making his way to the kitchen, Frank distracted himself with filling two mugs with water and spooning an awful amount of instant coffee into each. He placed them in the microwave and waited until the beep sounded, and then carefully removed the two steaming cups. When he came back into the living room, Horatio was sitting back on the couch, his eyes closed, and his hands clenched at the sides of his head. He looked like hell.

Frank settled himself on the other end of the couch and took a fortifying gulp of his coffee before he said anything to Horatio.

"First…have you talked to anyone else besides me? Does anyone besides me and Cal know this event even happened?"

"No…I had almost decided to call Stetler, but then I realized I had to come to someone I could trust."

"Well at least part of ya was thinking clearly this evening, even if other parts of you weren't. Okay, my friend. Lay it on me."

Horatio began the most terrifying and shocking story Frank had ever heard, and by the end of it, Frank was almost in tears himself.

"…so you see. I had to turn myself in, Frank. I had no other choice."

With a trembling hand, Horatio unclipped his badge from his belt and slowly removed his gun as well and held them out to Frank. Frank took them reluctantly and placed them on the end table without a word.

Okay, Francis, what are ya gonna do with this one, boy? He's your best friend, but if he's done what he says he's done, then he's committed felony rape. As an officer you have a duty to cuff him and take him in.

Finally, after mulling over his options, Frank spoke.

"Horatio, look at me. I need to hear Calleigh's side of this incident. Will she tell me it was rape?"

"The physical evidence I left on her will speak louder than anything she can say." Horatio's tone was completely dejected.

"Now, wait a minute. If she refutes the physical evidence and confirms that the act was consensual then there will be a tough time proving rape, Horatio, you know that."

"But Frank, I know what I did to her, how I hurt her and marked her, left her bleeding and bruised."

Frank shuddered at the mental image of Calleigh that sprang into his mind at those words. The more Horatio talked, the more it did indeed sound like rape.

"Let me think…" Frank's voice trailed off when his cell phone rang.

He looked down and was not at all surprised to see Calleigh's name on the caller ID. Flipping open the phone he answered, "Tripp."

Calleigh's voice came through loud and clear and Horatio cringed at the sound.

"Hey, Frank, it's Calleigh. Is Horatio by any chance with you?"

"Ahhh…yeah, Cal…he is and he's in pretty bad shape. Are…are you okay?"

Frank heard Calleigh sigh before she answered that question.

"Yes. I guess he's told you what he thinks he did?"

"Yes." Frank deliberately kept his answer noncommittal.

"Okay, keep him there, I'm on my way. I have to talk some sense into him."

"That may take some doin, Cal. He almost bolted for the door when he realized it was you calling."

"Just hang on to him, Frank. Don't let him leave, please."

"Okay, Cal, but hurry."

"I'm on my way."

"Hurry, Cal. Hurry."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When Frank turned back to Horatio from talking to Calleigh, he was nowhere to be seen. Quickly He looked in the kitchen and then started off down the hall toward the back bedrooms calling Horatio's name. From two doors away he heard the sobs. Quietly he opened the door and took in the sight.

Horatio had thrown himself across the bed and was crying brokenly, his hands clenched in the bedspread as though his life depended on it.

Frank shook his head and then sat down on the edge of the bed beside the redhead. He knew Horatio needed a swift verbal kick in the seat of the pants or he wasn't going to pull out of the tailspin he was in at the moment. So he cleared his throat and barked out, "Stop it right now, Horatio Caine! Act like a man. You were man enough to do to her what you did. Now man up and face the results."

The stinging tone of Frank's voice partially penetrated the haze of self pity and self incrimination that had clouded Horatio's mind and he rolled over to look up at Frank.

"Don't you see, Frank," he choked out, "I can't face her. I just can't. You…you have to let me leave…please, Frank. I think I'd rather face Stetler and IAB than to have to look her in the face…"

Frank cut him off mid sentence.

"Cut it out, Horatio. Are you stuck on stupid? Talking to Stetler would have been the worse thing you could have done. Now stop talking foolish and make yourself presentable. Cal will be here in less than 15 minutes. I'm giving you 10 to get to the bathroom and straighten up your face and be back to the living room to talk with her."

"But, Frank…"

"Stuff it H. You're gonna talk to her if I have to cuff you to the chair."

The look in Frank's eye told Horatio that he was deadly serious about that threat, so he meekly made his way to the bathroom to do as Frank had commanded. Less than 10 minutes later, he reappeared, his face washed and dried, and his hair combed. He was very subdued, but Frank decided that a subdued Horatio Caine was not necessarily a bad thing in this case.

When he sat back down on the couch, he looked at Frank.

"What…what do I say to her, Frank?"

"How about you see what she has to say first, Horatio." Frank answered.

At that moment, the doorbell rang and look of sheer panic crossed Horatio's face. He started half up from the couch and would have run, but Frank's voice lashed out like a whip.

"SIT DOWN! Don't you even think about running, Caine."

Turning his back on the panicked Lieutenant, Frank went to the door and opened it, mentally preparing himself for whatever visible evidence would be present on Calleigh's body.

He was shocked at what he saw. Calleigh hadn't even tried to hide the injuries. There was a visible bite mark just above the open collar of her shirt, and several more along her throat. Frank let his gaze travel over her bare arms and he winced at the hand shaped bruises he saw there. _God, Horatio. Could you have made it look any worse? _ He thought and then he saw Calleigh's wrists. She had left them un-bandaged. They were bruised from the handcuffs and still oozing tiny droplets of blood. Heaven only knew what other kinds of wounds her clothing covered.

"Are you finished inspecting me, Frank?" She asked quietly as she stood there patiently enduring his gaze.

Frank colored deep red, embarrassed at having been caught staring so openly.

"Sorry, Cal." Frank motioned her toward the living room and then added this admonition. "He's skittish as a colt. Better take it slow and easy with him."

"Thanks, Frank, I will. "

When Calleigh entered the living room, Horatio buried his face in his hands and refused to look up at her. Dropping her purse on the coffee table, she stopped directly in front of Horatio and spoke down at him.

"Are you gonna look up at me, or do I have to sit on the floor at your feet, Horatio?" Her voice was soft, with no recrimination in it.

"How can you even stand to be in the same room with me?" he whimpered.

Calleigh knelt down in front of Horatio and gently took his hands in hers. She forced them away from his tear streaked face and gently lifted his head up. He had no choice but to look at her. Her calm green eyes looked steadily into his tortured blue ones and she refused to let him look away.

"Tell me what you think you did, Horatio," she whispered.

Tears welled in Horatio's eyes.

"Calleigh, I…I can't say it. I'm too ashamed."

"Horatio, tell me," she encouraged softly.

"Oh, god, Calleigh…I…I raped you." He stammered out brokenly.

"Horatio, I want you to listen to me. You did NOT rape me. You bruised me. You cuffed me. You bit me. You hurt me physically. But you did NOT rape me."

When Horatio gasped at her denial Calleigh shushed him with a finger across his lips. Her touch was sweet torture.

"Do you remember what I said to you just before…just before you took me?" Her hand softly smoothed his hair back from his forehead.

"No… I …I don't remember much of anything except that I hurt you."

"I remember…I remember very well, Horatio. I said to you 'Yes, Horatio, please take me.' Now does that sound like someone who's being raped to you?"

For a moment, Horatio closed his eyes, desperately dredging his mind for a memory of Calleigh asking for him to take her. Slowly it resurfaced through his tormented thoughts. He remembered cuffing her and dragging her to the bed, stripping her clothes from her, forcing her to touch him…and then he had it. She had whispered it so softly he had thought it was only his imagination.

"Calleigh…" he hardly dared hope that she was telling him the truth. "Did…did you mean that?"

His eyes clung to hers, desperately searching for assurance that this was not some cruel joke.

Calleigh smiled gently at him, leaned toward him and whispered softly, " I meant every word of it, Horatio," just before she let her lips meet his.

He resisted her at first, trembling in her gentle hold, until the sweet insistence of her mouth coaxed a hesitant response from him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

From his vantage point in the kitchen where he had disappeared after Calleigh's arrival, Frank heard only quite tones exchanged between Calleigh and Horatio. Almost hating himself for prying he quietly edged around the corner just far enough to see into the living room.

The scene that met his eyes almost brought him to tears. Calleigh was kneeling in front of Horatio, her hands cupping the sides of his face. He watched mesmerized as Calleigh slowly leaned forward and kissed Horatio. Frank could see the redhead struggle against the tender captivity of her hands and then relax as Calleigh continued slowly moving her lips over his. He watched as Horatio began to respond. At that point he ducked back into the kitchen, giving the couple as much privacy as he could afford them. Lord knew after what they'd been through already they deserved to be alone.

* * *

Horatio fought the gentle bonds of Calleigh's hands until he could no longer keep from responding to her sweet kiss. Even then, he was hesitant, shy, reluctant to kiss her back for fear of crossing some unseen boundary, so he simply followed Calleigh's lead, allowing her to deepen the kiss slightly. He whimpered softly as he felt her tongue gently stroke over his bottom lip, patiently waiting for him to grant her permission to take the caress even deeper.

As his resistance faltered under her tender touch, Horatio felt wonder at the fact that she was offering him absolution, forgiveness, understanding, and…could it be…love?

_After what I've done to her, she still wants me _was his final thought before he gave in to her soft demands. His lips parted beneath hers and Calleigh slid her tongue in slowly, caressing and stroking.

Without conscious direction, Horatio's hands drifted to rest at Calleigh's ribs. And in that moment he panicked again. The feel of her soft warm body pressing against him and the tender flesh beneath his hands flooded his mind with scenes from earlier in the evening. Almost violently he jerked away from her touch, pressing himself back against the couch cushions, his eyes wild, his breathing jerky and shallow.

Calleigh understood immediately and allowed him to move away from her but did not allow him to completely break contact with her. She kept her hand at the side of his face, her fingers stroking softly along his jaw line.

"Horatio…it's okay." Her gaze captured his and again she wouldn't let him look away.

"I can't…Calleigh…I can't…" He was trembling.

"Horatio…it's okay to touch me. I want you to."

She gently closed her hand over his and guided it back to her ribs where she gently flattened his palm against her side and held it there.

"I'm not fighting, you Horatio. I want this."

"But…"

The sounds coming from his throat were heartbreaking and Calleigh had to fight to keep back the tears. He was so wounded. His own conscience was brutalizing him worse than he had ravaged her.

"Horatio…touch me," she commanded softly. She knew she had to work him past the point of panic.

Moving slowly, and yet keeping his hand firmly against her body, Calleigh eased up onto the couch beside him, talking softly all the while. She moved in close to him, not allowing him to escape her touch and nestled herself close to his heaving chest. Quietly she laid her head on his shoulder and was amazed that his heart had not beaten its way out of his chest. It was fluttering against his ribcage like a frightened bird.

Her eyes closed in partial relief when she felt his other hand slip hesitantly to her shoulder. Holding her breath, she waited for him to shove her away, and was pleased when she felt him simply rest his palm against her bare skin.

Realizing that to push him farther might negate the progress she'd made thus far, she simply wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "Hold me, Horatio."

The warmth of Calleigh's body against him and the caress of her hair against his cheek soothed his fears and he slowly placed his arms around her, finally gathering her close to his frantically beating heart. He closed his eyes and sighed in deep relief, his conscience finally allowing him to believe that this time Calleigh was in his arms willingly.

Calleigh felt him relax and nuzzled closer to him, knowing that she'd won a major battle with his fears. He was far from conquering them completely, but for now she could rest, content that his guilt was assuaged for the moment and he wouldn't be rushing headlong into some ill thought out self punishment.

Before long, Horatio's deep, even breathing told Calleigh that he had fallen into an exhausted sleep, his mind letting go of the anguished guilt he had heaped upon himself. Careful not to wake him, she shifted slightly to a more comfortable position in his arms and closed her eyes. It was then that she felt rather than heard Frank step up quietly behind the couch. She opened her eyes to look at him and felt a rush of gratitude sweep through her. He had slipped back to the bedroom and returned with a blanket. She looked a "thank you" up at him and he smiled in return before carefully draping it over the two of them.

"Sleep well," he whispered.

When Calleigh's eyes showed surprise at his unspoken invitation to stay for the rest of the night, Frank spoke again softly.

"It's well after 2:00 in the morning, Cal. You need the rest, and he sure as heck does. No need to disturb him. I'll leave you two to rest now."

"Frank, you are the best friend we could have ever had in this situation," Calleigh whispered back.

"Aw now, don't overdo it," Frank said softly, blushing at her compliment. "Night, Cal."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Morning came softly to the sleeping couple entwined on Frank's couch. During the night, they had shifted positions and Horatio was now lying flat on his back with Calleigh's relaxed form lying on his chest, her hair spread out over his shoulder. His arms held her close and his face was nestled against the top of her head. His eyes opened and for a moment he was startled to feel an unaccustomed weight pressing him down. He stirred and that weight murmured in protest.

_Who is this in my arms? _he thought to himself, and then recollection came flooding back.

"Calleigh," he whispered.

There was no way he could move himself from under her body without waking her, so he simply tightened his arms around her and cradled her to his chest more securely. Closing his eyes again, he was just drifting back toward sleep, when he felt a small hand begin moving along his chest. Instantly his eyes snapped open and he looked down to see Calleigh smiling up at him.

"Good morning, Handsome," she said softly just before she reached up and kissed him.

"Good morning," he said shyly.

"Are you okay?" she murmured as she continued to run her hand up and down his chest.

"I'm… I'm not sure, Calleigh.

"Mmmm. And why aren't you sure?" This time the kiss was a little longer and Horatio felt the stirring of desire, followed almost immediately by a surge of fear.

"Calleigh…Calleigh," he stammered as he tried to escape her lips. His hands shoved at her waist in a halfhearted attempt to dislodge her from his chest, but Calleigh wouldn't allow it.

"No, Horatio. You aren't running from me. You wanted me last night, and I know you still do, you're just afraid you'll step over the line again and do something wrong. Trust me, Horatio, if you get to that line, I will tell you." As she spoke, she captured his wrists and gently pinned them to the pillow on either side of his head.

Slowly she bent her head and stopped just short of his lips. "Kiss me," she whispered, her lips brushing his lightly with each word, but not completing the kiss.

Desire fought with fear, and Horatio moaned.

_Trust her, Horatio. She loves you. _His reason spoke in his mind.

Still he hesitated. Again Calleigh gave the softly spoken command, "Kiss me, Horatio."

Terrified, yet trusting Calleigh's lead, he closed the distance between their lips and kissed her, timidly at first, but with growing confidence as he felt Calleigh respond to him. Her sigh of pleasure sent a wave of response rippling through him and he hungrily deepened the kiss. This was so different from their encounter just hours before when he had been driven by nothing more than sheer lust to conquer and dominate Calleigh to gratify his own animal needs. This was soft, sweet, tender and totally enchanting.

Like a starving man he fed on her lips, her taste, the sounds of her pleasure, almost losing himself in the intoxicating feel of her slender body pressed so close to his.

But when Calleigh locked one leg under his and flipped them both so that Horatio was lying on top of her, the terror came roaring back. He tore his mouth away from hers, his eyes wide and startled.

"No, Calleigh I won't do it again," he gasped.

"Horatio, calm down. Think for a second. Am I fighting you? Are you hurting me? Didn't I ask you to kiss me? Why should it be any different for you to kiss me when I'm lying on top of you than if you kiss me while I'm lying beneath you?"

"Because I might hurt you."

"Oh, Horatio…," Calleigh sighed with a smile. "I can see I've got my work cut out for me."

Horatio said nothing but nuzzled his face against Calleigh's neck. She responded by wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. He relaxed in her tender embrace, relieved to have been rescued from the dizzying height of desire. He was still not ready to face that yet.

At that moment, Frank came shuffling into the living room still half asleep after being up most of the night with them, totally unaware of the epic scene he had just missed between his two dear friends.

"Morning, you two. Coffee sound good to anyone?" He ran a hand over his face to clear his eyes and then took a second look at the two bodies on the couch. Calleigh was lying on her back with Horatio in her arms. Horatio's face was buried against her neck, partly hidden by her long blonde hair.

"Hmmm. Looks like you two made some progress after all," he chuckled, relief evident in his voice. "I'll get the coffee going."

Frank made his way to the kitchen, leaving Calleigh and Horatio semi-alone again for the moment. As soon as his back disappeared from view, Calleigh whispered in Horatio's ear.

"He's gone, Handsome. You can come out now."

Horatio raised his head and looked down at her, a small smile growing on his face.

Biting her lip in a definitely provocative manner, Calleigh looked up at him and said coyly, "I don't know about you, Handsome, but after sleeping in my clothes, a shower for two sounds heavenly. Think Frank would mind?"

At the word shower, Horatio stiffened and tried to pull away from her.

"Oh, no you don't, Horatio Caine. We are going to shower together if I have to drag you in there and undress you myself."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Frank re-appeared from the kitchen with two steaming cups of coffee. "Horatio, I made yours black, and Cal yours has plenty of sugar in it." He set the cups down on the coffee table and looked at his two friends. "Did you sleep okay?"

Horatio took a sip of his coffee before he answered. "I slept fine, Frank. Thanks for letting us stay here overnight."

Frank snorted. "Hell, man, I'm just glad you came to me instead of Stetler. God only knows what would have happened if you'd done that."

Horatio smiled ruefully. "I wasn't thinking too clearly, was I?"

"Nope, you weren't." He turned to Calleigh. "Your coffee okay?"

"Mmmmm perfect Frank." She smiled at him as she took a swallow of the hot sweet coffee. She set her cup down and glanced at Horatio with a curious look in her eye.

"Ahhh…Frank…since we both slept in our clothes, we're feeling a little grimy. Would it be too much of a problem for us to grab a quick shower?"

Frank watched Horatio's face drain of color at that question and had to chuckle to himself. Aloud he said, " No problem, Cal. You two make yourselves at home. Bathroom is down the hall, last door on the left."

"You're an angel, Frank. Thank you." Calleigh beamed her brilliant smile at him.

_Calleigh, if you can get that man into a shower with you, I'll have to hand it to you, _thought Frank as he watched Horatio's face register fear, panic, and desire by turns.

Calleigh turned to Horatio and took his hand in hers. "Come on, Handsome."

"Calleigh…I'm not so sure this is a good idea…" he was struggling with little success to hide his growing fear. The thought of standing under warm streaming water with Calleigh naked in his arms called to the freshly chained beast within him, and he wasn't sure he could control it this time. There was no way he could be in that situation and not want to make love to her.

Calleigh took his face in both her hands and looked deep into his eyes. "Do you trust me, Horatio?" she whispered.

"Yes…but…Calleigh…I don't think I can…" he faltered as she leaned toward him and kissed him sweetly.

"You worry too much, Handsome. Come on. Let's go take a shower, before Frank changes his mind and boots us out of the house."

Calleigh stood from the couch and pulled Horatio up to stand beside her, then hand in hand they walked down the hall toward the bathroom. Unknown to them Frank watched every step they took, knowing what a major step this was for Horatio.

Clouds of steam filled the bathroom with a sultry, intimate atmosphere and Horatio groaned when Calleigh began to peel out of her sleep-wrinkled clothing. Her blouse came off first, followed by her bra then her jeans and panties. The absence of her clothing revealed the ravages of the night before. Her slender neck was marred by bite marks, and her breasts were bruised from his manhandling of her. Bruises and obvious teeth marks dotted her ribs. Her wrists were abraded and slightly swollen from the handcuffs. Her thighs too, were bruised. There was little of her creamy skin that wasn't marred by some type of injury inflicted by Horatio's hands and teeth.

"My God, Calleigh…" he choked out, tears in his eyes.

"Shhhhh. It's okay Horatio. Come here to me," she commanded softly as she held out her arms to him.

Moving as if in a trance, he stepped toward her and carefully took her into his arms as though she were a fragile china doll. He held her tenderly, his tears dropping onto her bare shoulder.

"Calleigh, I'm so sorry. God, I never meant to hurt you like this."

She nuzzled into his gentle embrace and let her lips graze softly against his neck. "It's okay, Horatio. They're just bruises. I'll be fine."

Hearing those soothing words he looked down into her green eyes and found only forgiveness and love. "Calleigh…" he whispered as he fought the urge to kiss her.

Calleigh saw the struggle in his eyes and knew he was fighting the fear of losing control again.

"It's not going to happen again, Horatio. You won't lose control if you kiss me."

He resisted for one second longer and then succumbed to the allure of her sweet lips. Softly he kissed her and was rewarded with a moan of pleasure from Calleigh as she willingly melted completely into his embrace. Horatio groaned and gathered her to him more closely.

Calleigh's lips parted beneath his and this time he didn't hesitate at her tacit invitation. He took the kiss deep, feeding from her sweetness hungrily. His hands began to move restlessly over her naked body, stroking and caressing.

Finally he broke the kiss.

"Calleigh are we going to take a shower or make love?"

"I don't know why we can't do both," she whispered as she linked her hand with his and stepped into the steaming shower, pulling him with her.

Taking Calleigh into his arms once more as the hot water streamed over their bodies, Horatio began to kiss each injury on her silken, wet skin. His mouth and hands caressed each bruise gently, his lips moving softly. By the time he had finished tending to every single bruise, Calleigh was whimpering with pleasure, weak with need and clinging to his bare shoulders.

"Calleigh…Calleigh I love you. Will you let me make love to you? I swear it will be different this time," he promised as he continued to kiss and lick and nibble softly across her body.

Calleigh wrapped her arms around his neck. "Make love to me, Horatio," she said.

No more words were necessary. He lifted her easily into his arms, wrapped her legs around his waist and with a groan of pure pleasure he stroked into her. He held her securely to his chest and began to thrust smoothly. Calleigh hid her face against his shoulder and whispered his name as pleasure began to grow deep within her body.

Horatio sensed that she was nearing her climax and deepened his thrusts slightly. His own release was close and so he whispered in her ear, "That's it, Sweetheart. Come for me."

With a cry, Calleigh came, her back arching and her head lolling backward as pleasure washed through her. Horatio leaned in to kiss her throat and giving one more deep stroke, he followed her over the edge into his own mind-spinning release, groaning out her name as he came with her.

Horatio leaned weakly against the wall of the shower, holding Calleigh close in his arms. Finally he set her on her feet, but did not release her. She clung to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder.

When she finally looked up at him, she found his blue eyes gazing at her tenderly.

"Are you okay, Horatio?" she said softly as she lifted a hand to trace the softness of his lips.

"I'm…I'm fine, Calleigh. You saved me from myself." He kissed her gently once more and then pushed away from the wall of the shower, gently disentangling Calleigh from his arms.

"Shall we finish up? We don't want Frank coming to check out why we are taking so long, you know."

"We wouldn't want that would we, Handsome?"

"No, we wouldn't. Seriously, Calleigh he knows more than I'd ever want anyone else to know about this matter."

"You know Frank won't say a word, Horatio. He's your best friend. He knows you trust him. He won't betray that trust."

"No, Frank wouldn't do that to us." Horatio agreed as he picked up the washcloth and lathered it well and began to wash Calleigh with it.

When he finished, he handed the cloth to Calleigh and she returned the favor along with a million tiny kisses as she worked, drawing the cloth across his water-slick, warm skin.

"Calleigh," he warned.

"I'm finished, Handsome."

"Good," he growled softly. "I don't want to tempt the beast again."

"Just don't banish it forever, Horatio," Calleigh whispered seductively. "After all, where would Beauty be without her beast?"


End file.
